How Roosters notice
They often notice missing details, unclear expectations, and weak points in a plan before others do.
The tenth Chinese zodiac sign
Rooster Chinese Zodiac
Find the exact Rooster years and your element type. Then explore how this sign tends to think, work, and relate to others.
JĪ · YǑURooster
Were you born in a Rooster year?
Enter your birth date. We use the exact Chinese New Year date, so January and February birthdays are checked correctly.
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Chinese
鸡 · Jī
Traditional: 雞
Earthly Branch
酉 · Yǒu
10th of 12 signs
Yin or Yang
Yin
Fixed element: Metal
Zodiac hours
5–7 p.m.
酉时 · Yǒu hour
Year of the Rooster
The Rooster at a glance
The Rooster comes after the Monkey and before the Dog in the 12-animal cycle. Traditionally, it notices the first light and calls people to begin the day. This links the sign with alertness, order, appearance, and direct communication.
How Roosters act
They usually prefer preparation, clear standards, and visible results to making things up as they go.
How Roosters communicate
They tend to speak plainly and be specific. At their best, they make difficult topics easier to discuss.
Rooster Chinese zodiac years
Rooster years and exact dates
A zodiac year begins at Chinese New Year, not January 1. If you were born in January or February, the calendar year alone cannot confirm your sign.
| Rooster year | Exact dates | Element type |
|---|---|---|
| 1921 | Feb 8, 1921 – Jan 27, 1922 | Metal Rooster |
| 1933 | Jan 26, 1933 – Feb 13, 1934 | Water Rooster |
| 1945 | Feb 13, 1945 – Feb 1, 1946 | Wood Rooster |
| 1957 | Jan 31, 1957 – Feb 17, 1958 | Fire Rooster |
| 1969 | Feb 17, 1969 – Feb 5, 1970 | Earth Rooster |
| 1981 | Feb 5, 1981 – Jan 24, 1982 | Metal Rooster |
| 1993 | Jan 23, 1993 – Feb 9, 1994 | Water Rooster |
| 2005 | Feb 9, 2005 – Jan 28, 2006 | Wood Rooster |
| 2017 | Jan 28, 2017 – Feb 15, 2018 | Fire Rooster |
| 2029 | Feb 13, 2029 – Feb 2, 2030 | Earth Rooster |
How this page works
How Rooster years, elements, and compatibility are determined
This page uses three parts of the traditional Chinese calendar. Each one answers a different question.
Animal sign: Chinese New Year
Your birth-year animal changes at Chinese New Year. We check your full birth date against that year's New Year date. This prevents January and February birthdays from being assigned by the calendar year alone.
Element type: the Heavenly Stem
Each zodiac year also has a Heavenly Stem. Its element and Yin or Yang quality combine with the Rooster branch. This creates types such as Wood Rooster and Water Rooster within the 60-year cycle.
Compatibility: Earthly Branch relationships
The compatibility section uses the traditional Six Harmony, Three Harmony, and Six Clash relationships between the 12 Earthly Branches. These relationships describe common ways two signs may get along or differ.
Five element Rooster types
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water Roosters
The Rooster returns every 12 years, but its element changes. Over the 60-year cycle, this creates five types: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water Rooster.
01
Wood Rooster
1945 · 2005 · 2065
Wood brings growth and cooperation to the Rooster's precise nature. Wood Roosters often use standards to help people and systems improve, not simply to keep order.
- Work and decisions
- They often suit planning, education, design, team development, and projects that turn an idea into a clear process.
- Relationships
- They value shared progress and offer practical support. They still prefer direct communication, but may find compromise easier than other Rooster types.
- Growth point
- Do not try to improve everyone and everything at once. A few clear priorities will bring better progress.
02
Fire Rooster
1957 · 2017 · 2077
Fire makes the Rooster more energetic, expressive, and willing to be seen. Fire Roosters take a position quickly and can give a group confidence when the way forward is unclear.
- Work and decisions
- They often thrive in leadership, performance, business, public-facing work, and roles that turn enthusiasm into action.
- Relationships
- Their warmth and honesty make their interest easy to read. Strong reactions can also make a small disagreement feel much bigger.
- Growth point
- Not everything urgent is important. A short pause gives other people time to understand and support the plan.
03
Earth Rooster
1969 · 2029 · 2089
Earth makes the Rooster steadier and more practical. Earth Roosters value evidence, realistic expectations, and results that will last.
- Work and decisions
- They are often dependable in operations, finance, administration, quality control, and other work that rewards care and consistency.
- Relationships
- They show care by being reliable and helpful. Because they expect actions to speak for themselves, they may need to express affection more openly.
- Growth point
- Give a promising idea some room before every detail is proven. Caution is useful, but it should not block all change.
04
Metal Rooster
1921 · 1981 · 2041
Metal strengthens the Rooster's precision, resolve, and sense of boundaries. Metal Roosters usually know where they stand and will defend an important standard even when it is uncomfortable.
- Work and decisions
- They can excel in analysis, engineering, law, auditing, strategy, and work that calls for firm judgment or exact specifications.
- Relationships
- They value loyalty and clear commitments. Their steadiness builds trust, but criticism can feel harsh when appreciation goes unsaid.
- Growth point
- Learn to separate a core principle from a personal preference. Being flexible about preferences saves energy for what really matters.
05
Water Rooster
1933 · 1993 · 2053
Water makes the direct Rooster more reflective and adaptable. Water Roosters often notice both the facts and the mood in the room before they respond.
- Work and decisions
- They often do well in research, writing, consulting, negotiation, communication, and work that involves understanding both people and information.
- Relationships
- They can explain difficult points with care and adjust when circumstances change. Overthinking may delay a conversation that would be easier to start directly.
- Growth point
- Use insight to make a decision rather than keeping every option open. Clear limits give their flexibility a purpose.
Rooster personality and traits
Direct, observant, and detail-focused
Roosters are often described as alert, organized, and willing to say what others leave unsaid. They are at their best when they focus on the details that truly matter and speak with tact.
Common strengths
- Prepared and dependable
- Observant and precise
- Candid communicator
- Strong sense of responsibility
Useful growth areas
- Choose priorities before perfecting details
- Leave room for another working style
- Pair honesty with timing and tact
- Say when you want recognition instead of hinting at it
Thinking and decisions
Roosters often compare what is happening with what should be happening. This helps them plan, check quality, and correct course. Their decisions improve when they separate real problems from minor flaws.
Communication
They speak clearly and expect the same in return. People often value their honesty, but a blunt tone can hide a useful message. A little context and curiosity make their words easier to hear.
Work style
Roosters tend to do well in work that rewards preparation, accuracy, and responsibility. They can bring order to a scattered process quickly. When a team needs to experiment, they may need to loosen their grip on the details.
Close relationships
They often show care by being reliable, helping in practical ways, and remembering details. They may also expect a lot from the people close to them. Saying what they appreciate can make those relationships feel warmer.
Rooster zodiac compatibility
Which signs are most compatible with the Rooster?
Traditional compatibility is based on relationships between the 12 Earthly Branches. It shows where two signs may connect easily and where they may need more understanding.
Six Harmony partner
Dragon
Dragon brings confidence and big ideas. Rooster adds structure and follow-through. Both signs tend to respect people who know what they are doing.
Three Harmony group
Ox
Ox brings patience and consistency. Rooster brings planning and attention to detail. Together, they can build a steady and practical rhythm.
Three Harmony group
Snake
Snake brings strategy and good judgment. Rooster makes expectations clear. Together, they can turn a strong idea into action.
The Rabbit–Rooster clash
Rabbit and Rooster sit opposite each other in the zodiac cycle. Rabbit often values tact and a calm atmosphere, while Rooster prefers accuracy and directness. They work better together when both sides respect these different communication styles.
Rooster at work and in relationships
How Rooster traits show up in daily life
01
Career and contribution
Roosters often do well in planning, quality control, communication, design, analysis, operations, and public-facing work. Clear standards and visible results help them stay motivated.
02
Love and friendship
They value loyalty, attention, and honest conversation. Practical help is often one of their main ways of showing care. Relationships feel easier when they voice appreciation as clearly as criticism.
03
Leadership
A Rooster can bring order to confusion and help a group name the real issue. They lead best when they set a clear standard but let people reach it in their own way.
04
Personal development
The key question is not whether standards matter, but which ones matter most. Choosing the right details helps Roosters protect quality without wearing everyone out.
Meaning in Chinese culture
Why the Rooster belongs in the Chinese zodiac
The Rooster's dawn call made it a symbol of timekeeping, watchfulness, and the arrival of light. In the traditional two-hour clock, the Earthly Branch Yǒu covers 5–7 p.m., when chickens return to the roost.
Order in the cycle
The Rooster is the tenth animal, following the Monkey and preceding the Dog.
Chinese name
鸡 / 雞 is pronounced Jī. Its Earthly Branch is 酉, pronounced Yǒu.
Traditional symbolism
Punctuality, alertness, courage, good presentation, and the shift from darkness to daylight.
The Great Race legend
How the Rooster became the tenth zodiac animal
In a popular version of the Great Race, the Rooster reached a river and spotted a raft. It teamed up with the Goat and Monkey so they could cross together.
The Monkey and Goat cleared the way while the Rooster helped guide the raft. The three reached the other side as a team. The Jade Emperor placed the Goat eighth, the Monkey ninth, and the Rooster tenth.
The story gives the Rooster's sharp eye a positive role. It notices not only problems, but also the tools and routes that help a group move forward.
Go beyond the birth-year animal
Your Rooster sign is one part of your BaZi chart
The Chinese zodiac looks at your birth year. A BaZi chart also uses your birth month, day, hour, and location. It shows your Four Pillars, Day Master, and full Five Elements pattern.
See how BaZi differs from the Chinese zodiacRooster Chinese zodiac FAQ
What years are the Year of the Rooster?+
Recent Rooster years include 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, and 2017. The next Rooster year is 2029. The sign changes at Chinese New Year, so January and February birthdays need an exact-date check.
What is the personality of the Rooster Chinese zodiac sign?+
Roosters are traditionally described as observant, organized, direct, prepared, and attentive to quality. Their high standards work best when they also know when to prioritize, adapt, and soften their delivery.
What element is the 1993 Rooster?+
The 1993 zodiac year is a Yin Water Rooster year. It began on January 23, 1993 and ended on February 9, 1994.
Is 2005 a Wood Rooster year?+
Yes. The Wood Rooster year began on February 9, 2005 and ended on January 28, 2006.
Which signs are most compatible with the Rooster?+
Traditional zodiac relationships pair Rooster most strongly with Dragon, Ox, and Snake. Rabbit sits opposite Rooster in the cycle, so the two signs often have different communication styles.
Is the Chinese horoscope Rooster the same as the Rooster zodiac sign?+
In everyday English, a Chinese horoscope sign usually means the same birth-year animal as a Chinese zodiac sign. The word horoscope can also refer to a yearly forecast. This page focuses on the Rooster sign itself.